Dear Editor,
On this day, 7th of December, exactly eight decades ago, the Imperial Japanese establishment attacked the American Naval and other military facilities at Pearl Harbor. It appeared that the US Intelligence failed them and the Japanese, for hours on that morning, destroyed US naval vessels and aircraft. In all 2,403 Americans, including 68 civilians, died in that attack. This forced President Roosevelt, with the support of the American people, to declare war on Japan and the Axis forces, when he declared it “A Day of Infamy. This declaration of war was made at a time when the American people, as a whole, seemed to have had little interest in a war started in Europe two years earlier. This sudden silly step by the Japanese caused them to pay a heavy price, when on August 6, 1945, Roosevelt’s successor, Harry S. Truman, ordered the first atomic bomb to be dropped on Hiroshima, destroying a massive complex. Three days later, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, causing massive destruction, and forced a reluctant Japan to surrender. Of interest, some years ago when I visited the museum commemorating these incidences in Japan, my guide showed remnants of lunch kits and clothing of children salvaged from the rubble, but never once referred to Pearl Harbor.
Editor, there are lessons in the above incidences for Guyana and the world at large. Lessons which point to how citizens are the ones who bear the burden and bloodshed, thanks to missteps and sheer stupidity of their leaders. As a youngster, my mother told me of these events, which in a sense catapulted me into a life of public service and politics. Since then to this day, I like others, remain fascinated, a worrisome type of fascination with the way our present leaders behave, ignoring the lessons of human history. Leaders who make political decisions that destroy human life and materials, often fail to recognise the consequences of their silly steps. We see in Guyana, today, our purported leaders on both sides of the political divide ignoring, and I suspect in some cases, oblivious to past lessons. Intelligent men and women should learn from past and recent history. Editor, my recount of these incidents, which took place when I was a primary school boy, is that I have seen in Guyana for those eight decades, our pre and post-Independence leaders, with power and leverage in their hands, behaving as I once quipped, ‘like immature schoolboys.’ The big question is, when will we overcome these harmful actions? Why did the Japanese feel that destroying the US Fleet at Pearl Harbour would bring them any benefits? They underestimated the capacity of the American people to deal with this assault, not only the destruction of materials and men, but also on the pride of the American people.
Today, in Guyana, we hear statements from Government functionaries oblivious of when they say and do things that constitute an assault on the pride of African slave descendants. There must be some flaw in the brain of our leaders that disallows them from seeing the consequences of their bravado, consequences of their disrespect and disdain for sections of the society. Guyana today, is a paradigm case of silly steps that can only bring short term benefits. I listened in amazement to a rather lengthy statement on the 26th of November, and that same day, unanswered queries put to the Government by the Leader of the Opposition. Both of these political titans ignore the need to find a pathway for civil and genuine consultation – not Mickey Mouse nor contrite consultations. Workers in the public sector, private sector and the ordinary person in the street, continue to be bombarded by slogans and this latest folly about ‘available income,’ in response to the meagre 3.5 x 2 increase in circumstances where oil resources swell the Government’s coffers. For example, the loud voices we heard have become silent on the three issues that can only lead to disaster, that is, (1) The Covid-19 health pandemic, (2) How do we deal with oil and gas giants and (3) The border issue, and an additional problem where migrants, within a few years, can alter Guyana’s demographics and relegate the descendants of slaves and indentured labourers to minority status. Let me close with these words – “Whatsoever you do to the least of my people that you do unto me.” Without being blasphemous, this is what a good Government should aim to be like. Even as we place our faith and future in the hands of our God, whether you be a Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim or Rastafarian, let us not give up the effort to speak up loudly so that the earthly powers and the heavenly powers will hear us.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Elder
